Module Source
Current State Before Future State
Source note for Friction Mapping -- Understanding Work Before Recommending Solutions: Current State Before Future State.
A future-state design is only useful after the current state is understood.
Current state means what actually happens today. It includes the official process, but it also includes the real process people use to get work done.
What Current State Should Include
Current-state mapping should include:
- official process steps
- actual process steps
- workarounds
- exceptions
- side spreadsheets
- manual checks
- informal handoffs
- legacy steps
- rework loops
Why This Matters
If the current state is skipped, the team may design for a process that does not exist.
That can lead to recommendations that look good in a meeting but fail in daily work.
Source: modules/friction-mapping-understanding-work-before-recommending-solutions/sections/03-current-state-before-future-state.md